A growing number of persons worldwide are overweight, or may be afflicted with a number of other conditions for which weight monitoring is a concern. There are many different ways of combating additional weight including dieting, exercise, medications, surgery and the like.
One (1) item that is common to all methods of weight loss is that of measurement and tracking. If no one ever weighs themselves, they will never know if their diet or other routine is working or not. Often, a household scale is used to track this information. However, even when such scales are accurate, they can be difficult to read. This is particularly true if the user is vision impaired and do not have their eyeglasses handy.
Furthermore, such scales are often considered to be unsightly and as a result are kept hidden away. This adds up to a significant amount of time spent setting up the scale when performed on a daily basis. Keeping the scale stored also requires additional nearby space to be available. Additional, storing the scale removes the scale from constant viewing by the user, whereas if the scale is always present it can provide a constant reminder to weigh in and remain vigilant about weight loss.
Various attempts have been made to provide portable or otherwise inconspicuous weight measurement devices. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,967,690, issued in the name of Northcutt, describes an electronic digital readout diet scale including a means for detecting and displaying changes in a user's weight within a small fraction of pounds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,065, issued in the name of Schmidt, describes a portable weight measuring device including a fluid circuit and a pressure converting unit for digital readout of the weight of an object placed on the device. The Schmidt device is foldable for storage and transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,067, issued in the name of Montagnino et al., describes a floor tile scale and will display apparatus including a scale which is installed beneath a floor surface and a digital display providing display and transmission of weight and other medical information.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,398, issued in the name of Lee, describes a removable personal floor scale which mounts into a pit prepared in masonry or an opening in a framed floor such that it is substantially flush with the surrounding floor surface.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices are not portable. Also, many such devices, portable and otherwise, are not suitable for constant use in a wide range of household locations due to aesthetic considerations and their hindering of usable floor space. Furthermore, many such devices include an output which is difficult to view. In addition, many such devices are not widely configurable or adaptable to various user needs and locations. Accordingly, there exists a need for a weight scale without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.